One of the patterns that occurs in this section has to do with the relationships Leah has with her father and God. Throughout the book it is apparent that the way she thinks of her father and the way she thinks of God are the same. At the beginning of the book, Leah thought of her father as a person who should be treated well. But in "Bel and The Serpent," Leah begins to lose hope in her father and also says, “God doesn’t need to punish us. He just grants us a long enough life to punish ourselves” (327). Here we see Leah’s faith fading. Leah’s living God, her father, has become a man of many faults. Later Leah prays out of habit because of Ruth May’s death. But she must stop at one point because she doesn't know any more. This kind of breaks Leah’s belief in God because she could have prayed all she wanted, but Ruth May was still dead.
In many ways, Leah and her religion (or lack or it) go hand in hand. At the beginning of this book, Leah was very religious and followed her father’s footsteps because she thought it would lead her to righteousness. However, during the time spent in Kilanga, in a different culture, Leah saw how many flaws were involved with her religion. Her faith in God was questioned like the faith in her father. She realized in “Bel and The Serpent” that perhaps religion and being like her father led to righteousness, but it didn’t stop the events that happened.
- Marissa
One pattern that appears in all the chapters is Nathan's disregard for his teachings. One of the bible's lessons was to no show pride over one's accomplishments, as Nathan taught Rachel with the verse, after she pranced around the house with her pet owl, in one of the previous chapters. Nathan wanted to show off at the baptism of Kilanga by baptizing his own child, as leah pointed out in this chapter. Nathan shows prde through not listening to his family, colleagues, and neighbors when he is told multiple times to abort his mission in the Congo. This repetition of "unchristian" behavior, plus threats and the verse, makes the reader and the citizens of Kilanga question Nathan's competence and execution of the messages he is trying to pass onto the people of the Congo.
In many ways, Leah and her religion (or lack or it) go hand in hand. At the beginning of this book, Leah was very religious and followed her father’s footsteps because she thought it would lead her to righteousness. However, during the time spent in Kilanga, in a different culture, Leah saw how many flaws were involved with her religion. Her faith in God was questioned like the faith in her father. She realized in “Bel and The Serpent” that perhaps religion and being like her father led to righteousness, but it didn’t stop the events that happened.
- Marissa
One pattern that appears in all the chapters is Nathan's disregard for his teachings. One of the bible's lessons was to no show pride over one's accomplishments, as Nathan taught Rachel with the verse, after she pranced around the house with her pet owl, in one of the previous chapters. Nathan wanted to show off at the baptism of Kilanga by baptizing his own child, as leah pointed out in this chapter. Nathan shows prde through not listening to his family, colleagues, and neighbors when he is told multiple times to abort his mission in the Congo. This repetition of "unchristian" behavior, plus threats and the verse, makes the reader and the citizens of Kilanga question Nathan's competence and execution of the messages he is trying to pass onto the people of the Congo.
-Dee